Handbag



Aug 21 1951 B. H. THRocKMoRToN 2,565,283

HANDBAG Filed Aug. 13, 1949 JNVENTOR.

aww l e. n. l /ZLJ TZOR/ l l daar-ffy Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDBAG. V

Bruce Hamilton Throckmorton, New York, N. Y.

Application August 13, 1949, Serial No. 110,130

1 Claim.

This invention relates to handbags, and particularly to a simple and attractive type of article of this character, adapted to be fabricated from a single, substantially rectangular, section of sheet material, and with relatively little sewing or seaming required.

An object of the invention is to simplify the construction of handbags; to provide an attractive handbag requiring but few manufacturing operations and a minimum of seams and therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a bag formed from a substantially rectangular section of sheet material, such as textile fabric, felt, leather or any of the known flexible plastics, and which section is transversely folded or doubled upon itself to form the two sides of the bag, the edges thereof, for a portion only of the length of the sides being stitched together. The unsecured edge portions of the sides of the bag are folded down to form flaps over-lying the outer faces of the two sides of the bag, and near the folds which define the mouth of the bag, lines of stitching are located to produce hems or sleeves into which drawstrings are accommodated.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bag constructed in accordance with the invention, in open position; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the bag, showing the same in closed or contracted position; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig. 4 is a face view, on a reduced scale, of the sheet or blank from which the bag is made.

Referring to Fig. 4, wherein is shown the sheet or blank I from which the bag is constructed, it will be noted that the sheet is of substantially rectangular shape. rIhe same may be made of fabric, felt, leather or any of the known plastics of the required flexibility and strength. In making the bag, the sheet I is first transversely folded on the central line 2, thus doubling the blank over upon itself. The fold along the line 2 then becomes the bottom of the bag. The sides 3 and 4 of the bag are composed of lower portions 5 and 6 and integral upper portions or flaps 'I and 8. The side edges of the over-lying lower portions 5 and 6 are then stitched together. That is to say, stitching extended along the lines 3 and Il) will attach one edge of each of the parts 5 and 6 together, while stitching extended along the lines Il and I2 will attach the second edge of each of the parts 5 and 6 together. The stitching takes place, of course, after the central fold 2 has been made and the two sides 3 and 4 are in over-lying relation. The bag is then turned inside out to bring the seamed edges on the inside of the bag.

The flap portions 'I and 8 are then down-folded on the transverse fold lines I3 and I4, so that said flaps are thus each freely dependent and overlie the outer face of the side of the bag to which they are respectively integrally connected. That is to say, the flap 1 will overlie the outer face of the part 5, while the ap 8 will overlie the outer face of the part 6.

A line of stitching, as indicated at I6, is then extended through parts 5 and I and a similar line of stitching I4 is extended through the parts 6 and 8, each of these lines of stitching being relatively close to the folds I3 and I4, and resulting in the formation of the two hems or pockets I'I at the top or mouth of the bag. Drawstrings I8 are then inserted through these pockets or hems in the known manner, so that by pulling upon the draw-strings the top of the bag will be gathered or contracted substantially as shown in Fig. 2 and the bag thus held closed.

The two free-end flaps 'I and 8, disposed on the outside of the bag, and overlying the portions 5 and 6 constituting the sides of the bag, may be decorated or embellished in numerous ways, thus materially enhancing the appearance of the bag. For example, since these flaps form no actual part of the pouch or sack portion proper of the bag, the naps may be decoratively apertured, as shown for example at I5, cr they may be otherwise treated for best decorative effects.

Since the bag is fabricated from a single section of sheet material, which may be readily stamped out when quantity production is desired, and the stitching employed in the bag is very little, it will be apparent that these bags may be made very speedily and economically. At the same time, the single-piece construction employed results in a bag of considerable sturdiness and strength and excellent wearing quality if fabricated of material having resistance to wear. The bag may be ornamented in various Ways and a useful and thoroughly practical article results.

Having described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claim.

What I claim is:

A bag formed from an elongated sheet of material, said sheet being transversely folded upon itself Vto provide two overlying sides, the edges of said sides being secured together for a portion only of their length, leaving other portions of said sides unsecured at their edges, the sides being transversely folded at the junctions of the secured edges with the free edges to cause the free-edged portions to be downwardly dependent and form free aps overlying the outer faces of the secured-together portions of the sides, and lines of stitching extending through each side, including the ap portions thereof, said lines of stitching being located near the points of downfold of the ap portions and forming pockets, and drawstrings located in said pockets.

BRUCE HAMILTON THROCKMORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 735,560 Muller Aug. 4, 1903 835,673 Fross Nov. 13, 1906 u; 1,706,330 Sorg Mar. 19, 1929 2,071,394 Douglas Feb. 23, 1937 2,263,346 Arne Nov. 18, 1941 

